1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to throwing toys, and, more specifically to aerodynamic flying rings which can be adapted to game playing purposes.
2. Prior Art
There have been a number of prior flying rings. Some of these are listed below:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,472--Kerr PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,580--Wark & Schladermundt PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,945--Turney PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,899--Gross PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,704--Genua PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,540--Hembree & Shea PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,611--Psyras PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,265--Adler PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,358--Adler PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996--Bershak PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,230--Richards
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,472, Kerr discloses an annular disk incorporating elevated sections on both the top and bottom surfaces. This enables the disk to maintain a substantially horizontal path while in flight, which is appropriate in that the disk is meant to be thrown toward a fixed target in the form of a peg or post.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,580, Wark & Schladermundt disclose an annular disk incorporating flanges on the outer and inner perimeters of the disk, which help maintain a stable flight path until the spinning of the disk ceases. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,945, Turney discloses an annular ring having an upper convex surface and a lower flat surface, which incorporates spaced cavities which equalize weight in different portions of the annular circumference. This allows the ring to travel in a gliding motion, but does not provide additional lift. Turney also discloses a ring molded of low density polystyrene foam, which increases safety, but does not provide sufficient weight for prolonged flight.
Several other documents have disclosed disks constructed of foam material. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,899, Gross discloses a foam disk which is constructed in such a manner as to be launched into a cup. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,704, Genua describes soft foam rings which are constructed with a square cross-sectional configuration, to be used in the game of quoits. In. U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,230, Richards discloses an annular disk with a pair of mitered surfaces, constructed of a lightweight foam material. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,540, Hembree & Shea disclose an annular ring embodying a flat upper surface, a slightly concave lower surface, and an outer rim portion. These designs do not incorporate airfoil devices on the upper or lower surfaces. This factor combines with the light weight of the units to allow for flight paths of short to moderate height and distance.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996, Bershak discloses a flying disk incorporating a primary airfoil on the upper surface and a secondary airfoil on the lower surface of the unit. This contributes to a straighter flight path for the disk.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,611, Pyras discloses an annular disk having radial extending air spoilers located in the area between the outer and inner perimeters of the unit.
Adler, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,265, discloses an annular disk having a convex top surface and a slightly angled bottom surface. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,358, he expands this design to include a lip around the outer perimeter of the unit to increase stability. These features produce a relatively level flight path which can continue over long distances.
Other interesting information concerning prior art can be found on pages 97-102 ("The invention of the Frisbee") in the book entitled "Steven Caney's Invention Book" published by the Workman Publishing Company, Inc. New York, N.Y., 1985.
One of the major disadvantages of a large portion of the prior art has been that in order to achieve distance in flight the unit was necessarily constructed of a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material. These units were not easily adaptable to use in crowded outdoor areas, where there was an increased likelihood of injury due to the rigid structure of the unit. They were also unadaptable for use indoors where there was an increased probability of property damage. These units were also unsuited for use by young children, because of the difficulty in throwing and catching due to the rigid construction of the units.
Previous units which were constructed of foam were safer to use, but did not incorporate the aerodynamic features necessary for sustained flight.